Reading vouchers implemented in NSW

by Sally Edsall

The Department of Education and Training (DET) has moved to implement the decision of the Federal Government to provide $700 vouchers to parents of year 3 students who achieve band 1 in the Basic Skills Test reading component.

Federation opposes the vouchers proposal as a political stunt which will feed the unregulated and opportunistic coaching industry. The NSW Government, through the Department of Education and Training, is co-operating, enabling parents of about 5500 NSW students to get the money, as in other states.

Principals in those schools in which some students had either performed below the national benchmark in the year 3 Basic Skills Test literacy test and/or students who had met the requirements for exemption from sitting the Basic Skills Test have received a package which has caused them to seek advice from Federation.

The package contains a letter addressed to the principal and signed by Director-General Andrew Cappie-Wood. The letter refers to the requirement that parents take their letter to a "broker" to apply for the $700 worth of assistance. However, it seems that these brokers have not been appointed yet. Further, the letter goes on to say "there is a possibility that public schools could be involved as brokers or in delivering the scheme".

The package then contains a number of letters in sealed envelopes with the names of individual students on the envelopes. The principal is asked to distribute these to the parents of the children. The principal is then asked to complete a checklist verifying that this action has been taken and return the checklist to the Educational Measurement section of DET.

Questions raised by principals include:

1. What does the letter to parents say? (no copy was provided for the principal)
2. What am I expected to tell parents if they ask questions about how the scheme will work?
3. What does this signal to parents about the effectiveness or failure of the school to meet the child's needs?
4. What if we already know that it is not assistance with reading that the child needs but some other form of support, for example speech therapy which the DET has not provided or resourced?
5. What does the reference to schools acting as brokers mean? Will we be asked to recommend private tutors in our local area or will teachers in our school be asked to privately tutor to our school students?

All these concerns have been raised by the Federation with Educational Measurement Director Dave Wasson.

Mr Wasson agreed to ensure that a copy of the letter to parents is now sent to those 1,600 principals who have received the package.

DET has made a tender application to become a broker, in order to use the public education system as a provider of additional support. No details are known about how this would work.

Principals are advised by Federation to distribute the letters and refer any parental questions to Educational Measurement Director Dave Wasson.

Sally Edsall is a Research Officer.

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Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005